CRUDE PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS OF GUINEA FOWL KEETS (NUMIDA MELIAGRIS GALEATA, PALLAS) IN THE TROPICS

Résumé

Guinea fowl of both sexes were fed from 0 to 8 weeks on protein level ranging from 18 to 26% using constant energy concentration of 3000 kilocalories/kg diet. At the end of the experimental period, keats on 24 and 26% protein levels with liveweights of 854 and 867.3g respectively were significantly heavier than keets on the other diets. Keets on these two rations showed no significant differences in the final liveweights, liveweight gains and feed consumption. However, it appeared from the result that feed consumption was related to growth rate. The feed/gain ratio was significantly better for keets that received 24% protein level than for those on 26% protein. But feed/gain ratios generally tended to be inversely related to growth rate. On the basis of this study it is recommended that the diet of guinea fowl keets in the tropics should not contain less than 24% crude protein for optimal results.